


Just Our Luck

by imthepunchlord



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Sky High AU, Superheroes AU, just friendship fluff and support, nothing really romantic, so ready and happy to see this wrapped up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-04-02
Packaged: 2018-10-14 00:47:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10525410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imthepunchlord/pseuds/imthepunchlord
Summary: It was just their luck on how things turned out. Chat Noir was expected to be a villain. Ladybug was expected to be a sidekick. It was just their luck that they met, and saw promise for more.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sky High AU! Inspired by watching the movie again recently.

In the world of supers, Adrien Agreste was something rare. He was a super born without any powers from either parent. Powers born naturally. No line of any supers in his family history. He was very, very rare.

But it was not quite so exciting as many would imagine or think.

Specifically with the powers he had.

Powers that may not be worth having…

Adrien gave a start when there was a green and pink blur dash past him, one that kept a wide berth from him. Above, a shadow followed her, shouting out complaints that Alix was cheating.

Adrien cracked a slightly amused smile, watching them go.

He wondered if that was possibly the third race Alix and Kim were having this week, this relentless test to see who was the fastest, the runner or the flyer. He thinks it's been a roughly even score between the two.

Not that he could ask and check, with majority of the school body avoiding him.

Sighing, Adrien adjusted his sunglasses consciously, making sure his unnerving cat like eyes were hidden, watching people make a wide birth around him.

No one dared crossed paths with the black cat.

And Adrien didn't push to see that it happens, made sure to best avoid people as he could, by the request and plead of the principle.

 _"We're here to help you master your powers anyway we can,"_ Principle Damocles reassured, _"but we also don't tolerate trouble, and well, till you have control over that luck of yours..."_

_"I understand sir."_

Adrien watched behind dark lenses, watching his school mates lounge around, chatting with each other, and just, hanging out. Envy and wistfulness ran through him as he watched them go, picturing himself there among them, chatting and hanging out with someone, with a friend.

Hard to with his powers.

He stopped, turning his gaze skyward, watching Kim fly around with his red and black wings.

What Adrien would give to have wings instead.

To just fly around, no other power than just one that let him go anywhere he wanted, one that let didn't scare people away.

That would be so wonde-

Adrien was jolted when a large purple mass bumped into him, nearly sending him toppling to the ground, but _luckily_ caught himself, everything still so neatly in place. He turned, hearing the angry buzz of bees and furious deep growls of a monster. One that turned back to glare down at him. Three monstrous eyes of Mylene's monstrous form, dubbed Horrificator, glared down at him.

Adrien took a wary step back, conscious that Horrificator was one of the few supers suspected to wind up a villain after graduation, a lot like him.

The monster growled at him, maw opening and showing him her jagged teeth; then tensed as she realized who she wound up bumping into, her three eyes widening.

Her form shrunk down, him startling Mylene enough to return her to her human form, one that was the opposite of the monster before, so small and shivering as she looked up at him fearfully. "I-I'm so-so sorry Adrie-Chat Noir!" she cried, scuttling back, "I, I didn't mean-"

"Of course she didn't," the amused voice of Chloe Bourgeois rang out, a satisfied smirk on her lips, her faithful bees crawling over her shoulders. Bees, Adrien could calculate, were involved in sparking Mylene's rage and transformation. "But then again, she can be rather thoughtless as _Horrificator_. Picking _fights_ where she shouldn't."

Mylene shrunk down, eyes to the ground, never daring to meet his gaze, less it could spark bad luck to rain down upon her. Adrien turned and walked off quickly, not joining Chloe's game, not able to do much for Mylene if bad luck struck her. He had no control over that, despite what many thought.

He could only hope that it wouldn't be so bad.

But nothing was ever certain with his luck.

He just rolled along as best he could.

Though the glare from Ivan as he walked by was another added weight, an apologetic shame settling on his shoulders.

Really, that was out of his control.

Horrificator, Mylene, while intimidating, was very sweet. 

He didn't want anything bad to happen to her, but just as he didn't want anything bad to happen to his mother...

Adrien sighed, running a hand through his messy hair, making it a worse mess.

If it wasn't mandatory for supers to attend Sky High, he might've happily gone back home, stayed locked up as the Agreste's secret so-

There was a squeal above him, and Adrien's head snapped up, catching sight of a small frame toppling over the stairwell wall, coming straight down from a seven foot drop.

He moved on instinct, rushing out and catching her, grunting at the weight that slammed into him.

He shuffled on his feet, _lucky_ with his catch.

Surprisingly, _unluckily_ , his unnatural cat like eyes met the wide light blue eyes of Ladybug, of Marinette, his sunglasses knocked aside from the shuffle, leaving his eyes exposed enough for her to see them.

They both froze, surprised by this, their gazes locked.

Adrien didn't even think of moving to hide his eyes.

_"Hey!"_

He jumped, startling Marinette.

He looked up, seeing Lady Wifi, Alya point at him warningly, cell in hand and ready to move. "Set her down _gently_ , Chat Noir."

He did so, making sure Marinette was steady then readjusted his glasses and set his hands up where Alya can see them, and backed away from Marinette. He quickly left from her side, hearing the buzz of Alya zipping out of Marinette's cell, reaching for her friend, asking, "You ok?"

Adrien faintly heard Marinette shakily murmur that yes, she was ok, that Chat Noir didn't hurt her.

It was a wonder how long that would last before his bad luck struck her.

* * *

Marinette stood tensely, watching as her classmates worked their sidekick gear expertly, the good luck pouring off of her allowing them all to succeed, though, she herself was very, very aware that her own luck would catch up with her, that something was going to go wrong.

It was why Ladybug was a sidekick.

Good luck came pouring off of her and onto others, but her bad luck was stuck only to her. And a healing touch. A healing touch that can heal any sort of physical hurt. And creation, able to make pretty anything, so long as she had materials on her; not that the school knew that. 

Just good luck and healing.

The obvious powers. 

The perfect powers for a sidekick.

Her only real use…

"Well?"

Marinette jumped, looking up to see Mendeleiev glaring down at her.

Marinette offered her a sheepish smile, then nervously glanced down at the utility belt, an item all supers were struggling to learn to use.

Today, they were learning to hang from a ceiling.

And Marinette just knows it was going to blow up in her face in someway.

Marinette was sure Mendeleiev did too, but still stood there, expectant and waiting.

With a bracing cringe, Marinette accepted her fate.

With a push of a button, the rope shot out and flew towards the ceiling. Marinette wasn't ready for how fast it moved. The sidekick squeaked in alarmed when she was ripped off her feet and slung up in the air, her belt malfunctioning and twisting her about, leaving her hanging upside down, fearfully staring down at the ground.

Please no, please no, pleasenopleasenopleasenoplea-

The rope snapped and she landed face on the ground, flopping to the side with a moan of pain, a soft pink light coming from her hands as she clutched her face, healing any damage done.

Above her were snickers of classmates, and an unimpressed teacher. "You need to learn to get this luck under control, _Ladybug_. You can be just as bad as Chat Noir. Instead of giving everyone success, turn that good luck onto yourself!" Mendeleiev scolded harshly.

Marinette sat up, watching the teacher prowl off, rolling her healed nose about, a slight sting in her eyes as frustration bubbled in her.

She's tried.

She's tried so many times.

But she can't will or make her natural fortune powers to work on herself no matter how much she wanted too.

Good luck just poured off of her and onto others.

Leaving all the bad luck to affect her.

That's just how it was. 

"You ok Marinette?"

She looked up, seeing Nathanael, Illustrator, offer a shy hand to her.

She cracked a wry smile to him, accepting his hand and letting the redhead pull her up. "I'll be ok," she reassured, her voice more confident than what she truly felt, her smile weak and shaky.

After all, things like this were nothing new.

She'll just have to learn to roll past it like everything else.

It's all she can do.

* * *

The perk of being a super was… freedom.

Not the sort of freedom Adrien would've desired, but still, freedom.

With his natural bad luck, providing an escort was more trouble than it was work. The limo has broken down three times. There were two near accidents for Gorilla. One scare of a spider crawling onto the steering wheel.

Escorting Adrien was just too much for the Gorilla's poor heart.

Which was fine for Adrien.

He was more than fine to walk himself to home and from the bus stop. It provided peace, it provided a sense of maturity, being on his own, walking this own path alone.

It was enlightening.

But also… lonely.

While many in Paris didn't quite know that about the unlucky and destructive Chat Noir, they did catch on that trouble went where Adrien Agreste goes. It's lead to be him being avoided, the streets near empty around the time he came home from school.

The silence was always so heavy in the air when he was heading home, the street so still and scared.

Adrien didn't enjoy it.

But with the little he could do he just kept walking and made sure his sunglasses were up and hiding his eyes. He always rushed inside when he was near home, and paused long enough in the entryway to find none welcoming him home.

No Nathalie.

And certainty no father.

Not that Adrien could blame him.

With a heavy slump, Adrien ignored the painting of the two remaining Agrestes, Adrien's eyes painted normal. He slipped in the hall towards his room, stopping long enough to look up to his mother's portrait, her smile warm and green eyes alive and warm.

"Hey Mom," he murmured, peering at her through a shaded lens. Even to her painting, he wouldn't dare show her his eyes. She didn't need to see them. 

He rather look at her smile through shaded lens. 

With that smile, he can remember the effort that was made, from both parents, the struggle they went through, their persistence to stay a happy family, despite Adrien's bad luck tripping them up all the time.

Till that one fateful day, where his mother wasn't lucky.

Where for once, Adrien wasn't lucky either.

And his father was hurt and lost and bitter and... 

With a quiet sigh, he continued to his room, not minding the glasses as they slid down his nose. He stopped long enough to eye his cat like eyes in a window before he took his shades off then plopped down to bed, the shades clattering on a near desk.

 _Luckily_ for him, it didn't take long to fall asleep.

 _Luckily_ , his sleep was dreamless.

And empty.

Just like this house.

Just like his life.

Adrien didn't like it.

* * *

When Marinette tripped on her way into the bakery, strong big arms caught her and lifted her up. "Whoa there!" came her Papa's jolly call, Marinette looking up and meeting his warm green eyes. Eyes that shifted in concern as he took her in. "You ok, Honeybug?"

Marinette offered him a small smile. "I'm ok," she reassured. "Thanks Papa."

His smile grew, and helped her to her feet. "Did you have a good day at school?" he asked.

"As good as it could be," she answered with a sigh.

His smile shrunk, brow furrowed in concern.

Before he could ask, Marinette luck chimed through.

"I need three wedding cakes!"

Tom turned, looking to the counter, seeing a frantic man awaiting him.

And Marinette slumped, well aware that this was good for business, at a price of support for her.

Tom started to plead for the man to wait, but Marinette, unable to will herself to take time away from business and the very stressed customer, she said, "It's ok Papa. I have homework I need to work on."

Tom turned just in time to see Marinette rush to the back of the room, heading up the stairs. Last he heard was a squeal as she tripped on a step. "I'm ok!" Marinette called quickly, then continued her way to her room.

"Hey Maman!" Marinette greeted in her rush to her room.

"Hello Honeybun," Sabine returned from the kitchen, dinner in progress. She turned to ask, "How was schoo-"

Sabine blinked her grey eyes, finding Marinette already gone.

She sighed, turning to set the pot to a low boil.

Just as she started to move towards Marinette's room, to ask if she was ok, there was a call from below.

Tom needed help.

As usual, business boomed when Marinette was home, customers drawn in by Marinette's magical luck, helping their business flourish.

With a sigh, Sabine sighed and slipped downstairs, well aware that by the time the rushed died down, dinner would be ready.

In her room, Marinette flopped into her chair, allowing it to spin her a little too quickly around the room. Above her, her crafts, her secrets, drifted about, alive and well. Origami butterflies and cranes.

A smiling black cat head she kept on her little bookcase mewed and giggled in greeting. "You'll have a pawsome day!" it chimed confidently.

Near it, a pile of plushies rose to life, seven animal based plushies, light enough that her powers allowed them to drift to life.

Marinette allowed them to rush to her, letting them settle around her shoulders, in her hair, and pressing against her.

Above her, the bed creaked as something large moved, and she looked up, watching her large white cat pillow wiggle down the stairs and slip towards her, it's face locked in a smile. Marinette allowed the huge plush to crawl onto her, wrapping her arms around it and resting her head on the purring plush's face.

"We all think you're meowvelous!" the cat chimed once more.

Marinette just sighed tiredly and closed her eyes, soaking in the life of her creations around her, taking in their comfort and love for her.

The only power she liked to keep to herself, a power she didn't want the school to know. 

It was a power just for her. 

A power to comfort.

As her large purred and nudged back against her, Marinette silently reminded hereslf, it was just another day.

That's all it was.

Just another day. 

* * *

D'Argencourt, Darkblade as he was famously known, was one of the few teachers that wasn't afraid of Chat Noir.

But he was certainly very cautious of the bad luck and destructive super.

As with all teachers, Adrien kept a far distance from Darkblade, watching the knight based hero sort through files, reading up on names of sidekicks and heroes, trying to find a suitable one to pair off with Chat Noir.

Chat Noir who was set in the hero class for his great power and success, and thus, had the option to have a sidekick assigned to him.

There were two tricky things about this objective though.

One, Sky High wasn't inclined to assign sidekicks to suspected villains, but Chat Noir wasn't officially listed as a villain despite all that was suggested of his powers, origin, and behavior, and he wouldn't be official till graduation.

Any that join Chat Noir would be of their own will.

So far, it didn't seem possible, which was the second tricky part of trying to find a suitable sidekick for the current hero, though, many used the term loosely for those like Chat Noir.

With his power of bad luck, all sidekicks are more likely to suffer and struggle.

And there is the matter that a good chunk of sidekicks have already locked themselves onto a desired hero.

Juleka Couffaine, Refleckta, was requested by Rose Lavillant, Princess Fragrance.

Sabrina Raincomprix, Vanisher, has requested to be assigned to Chloe Bourgoeis, Queen Bee; though Lila Rossi, Volpina, has also brought up an interest in her.

And Marinette, Ladybug, has a good few requests already.

Alya Cesaire, Lady Wifi, has made her interest in Marinette known first, but it seems that may have shifted to a possible partnership with Nino Lahiffe, Bubbler.

Nathanael Kurtzberg, Illustrator, has expressed an interest in Marinette as a sidekick, but D'Argencourt was more interested to see a partnership between Illustrator and Queen Bee.

Aurore Beaureal, Stormy Weather, certainly desires Ladybug's good luck.

Le Chien Kim, Dark Cupid, also expressed an appeal to having Ladybug be his sidekick.

Mylene Haprele, Horrificator, also requested Ladybug, believing that she can help the girl stay calm and control herself and her transformations, that her good luck will help her stay in control of her monstrous form, possibly make others calmer around Horrificator so Mylene won't loose control from all of those that were afraid of her; but it seems Ivan Bruel, Stoneheart, was interested in being there to help Mylene with her sensitive power instead. Mylene seemed shyly optimistic by the thought.  

And Ladybug was the second Volpina showed an interest in having, also interested in having good luck and healing on her side. Darkblade also suspected an additional interest in amusement of seeing how Marinette's luck could turn on her.

D'Argencourt glanced towards Chat Noir.

The boy sat still and hunched up, his eyes hidden behind shades, unwilling to share his strange gaze.

It was a curious idea.

Chat Noir and Ladybug.

Bad luck and good luck.

Destruction and healing.

It was an appealing and promising duo.

But… there was a risk.

Chat Noir's bad luck could double Ladybug's own personal bad luck.

The partnership could make it harder for her.

With a sigh, he moved the file of Ladybug aside.

Chat Noir was a suspected villain.

They were all to be very hesitant to assign suspected villains a sidekick. Only exception was a sidekick's own personal interest in joining them.

Ladybug has brought up no preference on who she wants to be assigned to, more likely willing to accept her unlucky fate, whoever it brought her.

With no interest in Chat Noir, the possibility of assigning him Ladybug was not needed.

Darkblade moved on, looking through other possible sidekicks.

When the long, silent hour was up, Adrien left the knight hero's office, still alone as before.

* * *

At Sky High, there was a constant war raging on. A war of rivalries, a war of who was the better hero, who had the better powers, who was a real hero, and who would become a villain, and the battle between social expectations on who would become what.

But the most present war at Sky High had to be the war of who ruled the school.

A war specifically between Queen Bee and Volpina.

At any chance the two had, they would go at each other, try to one up the other.

Lila with her illusions.

Chloe with her bees.

Anyone that was unfortunate enough to get caught in the middle could only hope for the best, or that Marinette was around her good luck could help them escape.

Unfortunately for Marinette, that often didn't leave her in the most ideal situations.

When Lila decided to be the first to poke the hive today, she didn't see Adrien standing close to her, and realized too late that he was there. In her little game, Chloe's bees noticed her move first, and swarmed towards her.

Lila turned and tore off, heart pounding as the bees pursued her, frantically looking around for an escape as Chloe cackled out in amusement.

Then Lila saw her.

Marinette, unluckily focused on her sketchbook, unluckily walking by, and unluckily so engrossed she didn't notice the chaos happening around her.

With a gleeful grin, Lila charged towards Marinette, purposely shoving against her, getting in touch with her, just to secure that good luck will happen to her.

Leaving Marinette to unluckily face the angry swarm.

A very rude awakening to the girl once caught up in her muse, pushed to the side, her sketchbook fallen to the ground, and looking up to see an angry swarm coming at her.

Marinette tensed, the swarm too close for her to even scream in alarm.

She jumped when a body surged forward, strong arms wrapping around her, pressing her against a firm chest.

Chat Noir.

Both braced for the worst, for the stinging and wrath of the bees.

Only it never came.

The good and bad luck that came off the two mixed and mingled.

Good luck rang over them as bad luck graced the bees.

A cloud of red smoke drifted by, passing over the charging bees, and like rocks in the air, they dropped down to the ground, dazed and clumsy.

"I'm sorry!" Rose cried out from the distance. "I accidentally sneezed!"

Slowly, the two luck based supers shifted, peeking down at the bundle of bees stumbling about on the ground, their hearts pounding from the close call.

Slowly, their gazes met, eyes wide from this.

Chat Noir had a close call, closer than he was used too.

And Marinette didn't wind up hurt.

Slowly the two drew away, not breaking eye contact.

What, what was that?

* * *

Marinette jumped when Adrien sat across from her, looking up at him with wide eyes. He offered her a sheepish smile, greeting, "Hi…"

Marinette licked her lips, nervously greeting, "H-hey…"

He rubbed the back of his neck, flustered and unsure. Clearing his throat, he voiced, "So, that, that was pretty wild yesterday…"

Marinette gave a shy nod.

"So um," he started, "I, er, that had me thinking. Maybe, maybe we could work together more?"

She blinked at him.

"We're both sort of luck related," he explained, adjusting his sunglasses, worried that his eyes may scare her. "And our lucks, yesterday, it, it seemed like-"

"They worked together," she murmured, glancing down at the desk, contemplative. "Usually that, I should've wound up covered in stings."

"And I never had such a close call," he said, lips curling up.

It, it was a bit of thrill.

Marinette tilted her head at him curiously.

Adrien cleared his throat. "Anyway! I, I was wondering, maybe we should partner up more…?" he asked slowly with a shy smile. "Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

She met his stare, surprised.

Work with Chat Noir?

He wanted her to work with him?

A suspected villain?

She licked her lips, wary. She asked slowly, "You want me to be your sidekick?"

It'd be no surprise.

She's been told that there have been many heroes that voiced an interest in having her their sidekick. They all wanted that good luck on their side. They desired her healing touch. Out of all of them, Marinette would've requested Alya, to work with Lady Wifi; but, with her luck making that request would be impossible.

She didn't bother.

So to hear that Chat Noir wanted her as his sidekick was no surprise either… well maybe a little, he already had his own personal good luck, to counter the bad that came off of him.

Adrien stretched out his hand, jerking Marinette's gaze to Adrien's offered hand. He gave her a shy smile, correcting, "I actually want you to be my partner. I want a partner more than a sidekick." With his luck, he didn't quite need a sidekick. His luck secured his success. It's one of the reasons so many were dreading the rise of the villainous Chat Noir.

Well, as many suspected.

But he really, truly did want a partner.

And maybe, this was just a maybe…

Her eyes widened, surprised.

Someone wanted her as a partner, an equal?

Chat Noir wanted her to be his partner?

It, it was a strange and aweing thing to hear.

Someone wanted her as a partner, not a sidekick.

She couldn't believe this.

"Re-really?" she asked.

"Really," he promised.

This, this was new.

It, it may not work out.

With her luck, probably won't.

Maybe his bad luck would make it worse.

But, this, this was new.

No one has ever proposed a partnership.

Perhaps it was the good luck rolling about, but more optimistic possibilities lingered in her mind than the bad.

Perhaps it could work… perhaps.

She smiled shyly, moving to tuck some hair behind her ear. She said, "I guess we can give it a shot?" She reached out, sliding her hand into his, peering at the dark lenses that covered his eyes. "Partner?"

Adrien beamed. He happily returned, "Partner."

Perhaps it was his luck, but, he had a good feeling about this.

That this will work out.

At least, he hopes it will.

* * *

There were stares as Adrien and Marinette walked side by side, many surprised to see the girl unafraid of the unlucky Chat Noir. Standing so close to him, risking his rotten luck and probably making her own worse.

There were no surprise to see Adrien grin to Ladybug as she came to stand beside.

Of course he'd be delighted and eager to have lucky Ladybug at his side.

Many could only gape as Ladybug in turn gave him a shy warm smile back, unafraid.

Classmates can only gape as they started to walk along, murmurs and halfhearted talks shifting between them, growing louder as they grew more comfortable.

"I inherited my powers from my Grandmaman, they skipped my Maman though," Marinette told Chat as they went along, easily forgetting the stares locked on them as they headed for class. He just drew her attention in, kept her focus on him.

Adrien in turn happily kept his focus on Marinette, curious to hear her power origin since she was one of the few that didn't also have a single super parent.

But she had a super grandparent.

To Adrien's knowledge, there were none in his family that ever had powers.

He was the first Agreste to have this.

"Hey."

Both paused, turning to see Alya eyeing them, her honey eyes locked on Adrien, her cell clutched tight in her hand, ready just in case.

Marinette offered her a small smile. "Hey Alya," she soft greeted.

Adrien shuffled nervously beside her.

Alya settled her gaze on Marinette, demanding, "What's going on? Did he pressu-"

"No!" Marinette quickly reassured. "We're just… trying an experiment."

Alya raised a brow, looking to the two luck based supers. "An experiment?" she repeated, wary.

"Yes," Marinette confirmed, reaching out and giving Alya's shoulder a squeeze. "We both agreed to it. It's going to be ok."

Alya looked her over, then spared a glance over at Adrien.

He gave her a small, shy wave.

"Ok," Alya uttered, "well, be careful."

"Oh don't worry, I will-" just as Marinette was reassuring her, already moving to head to first class, she tripped over nothing and was heading for the ground. Before she could hit, strong arms caught her waist and hoisted her up.

She looked up to Adrien.

He flashed her a pleased, dorky smile.

Marinette returned it, her heart pounding from the near fall.

Alya looked over the two, intrigued.

Chat Noir actually did a good act.

Actually saved someone from a misfortune.

Saved her friend from a misfortune.

Maybe it would be ok?

* * *

Mendeleiev stared down at them, long and hard.

Adrien and Marinette peered back, patient and expectant.

D'Argencourt drew near, asking, "What is going."

"They want to partner up," Mendeleiev stated.

Darkblade looked them over, blinking at the two.

Chat Noir and Ladybug?

They were actually pairing up?

"Which is ridiculous," Mendeleiev huffed. "Ladybug isn't your assigned sidekick Chat Noir-"

"Partner," Adrien cut in. "Not my sidekick."

Mendeleiev scoffed back, narrowing her eyes at them.

Ladybug clasped her hands together, shrinking down, looking small next to Chat Noir. Looking unsure. The misfortune super stood strongly beside her, eyeing the two teachers underneath his shades, resolute and stubborn in his wants.

Blinking, D'Argencourt looked over the two carefully, then declared, "Very well."

Mendeleiev turned to him, surprised. "Very well?" she echoed.

"They want to partner, let them partner. It what we do at our school."

Mendeleiev grumbled as D'Argencourt prowled off, then waved to the two away.

Beside Adrien, Marinette shuffled nervously, hands clasped tightly together. She jumped when a hand slid into hers, intertwining their fingers. She looked up, see Adrien smile down at her, a bit of green that covered his whole eye peeked out from behind the shades.

"It's going to be alright," Adrien murmured, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "We're going to do amazingly."

Marinette offered him a tight, shy smile and squeezed his hand back, thankful.

The two looked up as they were cautiously approached.

Dark Cupid and Gamer, Kim and Max, looking over them warily.

Most wouldn't approach Chat Noir to challenge him, very aware of the bad luck that would turn on them, make them stumble and fail.

But Ladybug was a solid good luck source.

So what does one do when facing one that produced bad luck, and one that produced good?

It makes odds even, makes it possible.

Beside Marinette, she felt Adrien shift excitedly, technically his first official opponent since no one really wanted to fight him.

She gave a start at a soft heat that covered his hands, and watched with wide eyes as thin golden red lines swept over his hands, leaving black, scaly claws holding her own hand. Claws that were careful in their grip, claws that were gentle.

Adrien flashed them a toothy grin, his canines extending, adding to an already intimidating, animal like appearance. "Alright," Adrien uttered, his claws slightly tightening their grip on Marinette's hand. He took an eager step forward. "Let's get this match going."

To the no surprise of many, they won.

What was the surprise was that Marinette didn't fumble as she usually did.

* * *

Adrien cautiously looked over the bakery, Ladybug's home. Marinette's home. They were doing a project together and she proposed her home since he was rather reluctant to go to her room. Still, he was unsure about heading up to her home with his bad luck.

"It's going to be ok," Marinette reassured, grabbing his wrist and dragging him towards the building. Slipping inside, they went up to her room, unnoticed. In Marinette's room, Adrien froze at the activity and life the fluttered inside her room.

Origami creations fluttered and danced about.

Plushies peeked out and scuttled around around, eyeing the new visitor curiously.

"Woah," Adrien whispered as he slipped in, looking over everything. Shyly, he held out his hand, beaming as an origami butterfly landed on his finger. "How," he started to ask, "how is..."

"It's another power of the Ladybug line," Marinette answered. "A power of creation, so long as we have materials, we can pretty much make anything we can think of. Mostly. Some creations, if capable, can also come to life." She held out a hand, grinning at a paper crane that landed in her palm. "Depends on what it is though."

"You could be a hero with this," Adrien noted. 

"I could," Marinette confirmed. "But that would mean making stuff that fight, that hurt and... I don't want that with my creations." She rather they be a source of wonder, inspiration, and comfort. "That's why the school doesn't know."

"I won't tell," Adrien reassured, watching the paper butterfly flutter off his finger, gazing about to see what else was alive. 

He jumped when there was a call. "Oooooooh, a mew face!"

He looked over to see a grinning black cat head looking to him.

"You are purrety!" it continued.

Adrien beamed, coming near the little head, slipping his shades off to really look at it. "You got a punning cat head!"

"My Papa's idea," Marinette told him. "When I was younger, I wound up upset a lot, but I was good at making stuff. Papa suggest something that will perk up my day." She turned and eyed the cat head. "I kinda regret making it spout out puns, but occasionally he'll say something funny."

"I'm punny!" the cat head announced, earning a laugh from Adrien.

Adrien who forgot that he took his shades off, turned his head towards Marinette, flashing her his cat like eyes.

Marinette paused.

Adrien stiffened, realizing that his eyes were out in the open. He quickly moved to cover his eyes, hide them behind his shades, only to freeze when Marinette touched his hands, stopping him from sliding the shades on. Slowly, she eased the shades off his face, looking over his green eyes, taking in the thin, cat like pupils.

With a smile, she said, "I should get used to my partner's eyes, shouldn't I?"

Adrien stared down at her in surprise, before a shy smile slid over his lips. "Only if you're sure," he said.

She smiled, blue eyes shining with resolution as she gazed back into his eyes, hardly bothered by the strange, animal like gaze looking down to her. "I'm sure."

It was his idea for this after all.

A partnership.

Ladybug and Chat Noir.

A partnership that was working and going strong so far. And if they were going to be partners, she had to be accepting of all of him, from his claws to fangs to even his eyes.

Getting used to him, getting to know him, it was the least she could do for this.

A promising chance at both their futures, a promising twist to both their lucks.

She had a good feeling about this.

And how he smile as he gazed down at her, cheeks a little pink in his delight, she suspected he felt the same.

Their luck was going to take a turn for the better.

They could feel it.

**Author's Note:**

> Probably could've taken it a bit further but I've been working on it for a whole month now. Ready to see it done and wrapped up.


End file.
